Introduction -- Mythos and logos -- The biblos and the dialectic of the sacred logos -- Scientific rationality and the dialectic of the Enlightenment -- Myth and meaning -- Approaching myth -- Naming the unknown, grounding significance -- Myth and the critique of political reason -- Classical theories of political myth -- Political myth, ideology and utopia -- Myth, historical narratives and the social imaginary -- Myth and identity -- Political myths today : the extraordinary and the banal.

"In this book, Chiara Bottici argues for a philosophical understanding of political myth. Bottici demonstrates that a myth is a process, one of continuous work on a basic narrative pattern that responds to a need for significance. Human beings need meaning in order to master the world they live in, but they also need significance in order to live in a world that is less indifferent to them. This is particularly true in the realm of politics. Political myths are narratives through which we orient ourselves, and influence the way we act and feel about our political world. Bottici shows that in order to come to terms with contemporary phenomena, such as the purported clash between civilizations, we need a Copernican revolution in political philosophy.

If we want to save reason, we need a new understanding of myth."--Jacket.